French Toast with Cinnamon Apples and Cinnamon Syrup

Have you made that cinnamon challah yet?  If not, get to it, because it’s super easy, and oh so amazing in this French toast recipe I have for you today!

Or, you know, go buy a loaf of French bread, because let’s be honest, French toast is always amazing no matter what bread you use.  It’s especially amazing with these cinnamon apples and cinnamon syrup, so if you’re looking for a perfect brunch recipe for the weekend, look no further.  This one is fantastic.

To make this French toast, I used my new Circulon non-stick electric griddle that Circulon Canada was kind enough to send me to try out.  I have been wanting a large electric griddle for a while now, so I was pretty excited when they asked if I would like to review it.

This griddle is by far the best non-stick pan I’ve ever used.  It’s a bit different than traditional non-stick surfaces, with a hard anodized coating in a circular ridge pattern.  It’s more resilient than other non-stick cookware, and you can even use metal utensils on it, without damaging the surface.  That excited me a lot, because I do tend to grab metal utensils rather than anything else.

The non-stick capabilities of this griddle are amazing.  I have used it for French toast, pancakes, sausage, and anything else I could possibly use it for in the last month, and nothing sticks.  You don’t have to use any kind of oil or butter or anything, and still, no sticking whatsoever.  I’ve always thought the best test for non-stick pans is eggs, as most pans are good for most things, but eggs always need a little butter or something to prevent them from sticking like crazy.  This griddle even works for eggs.  No sticking at all.  I was in awe.

Plus, it’s huge!  Making French toast or pancakes or something for my family of five usually takes a while, making four small pancakes at a time on my biggest skillet.  I can easily make more than twice as much at once on this griddle.  So much faster.  I love it.

The only thing I don’t love about this griddle is that the handles get quite hot, and it can’t be moved when it’s turned on without using oven mitts.  This is a minor complaint though, and it certainly won’t stop me from using it whenever possible.  You generally don’t have to move an electric griddle anyways.  To be honest, the only reason I did is so that I could move the pan to a spot with better light for a photograph!  Since normal people aren’t taking pictures of their food while cooking, this likely won’t be an issue.

So if you’re looking for an electric griddle, I would definitely recommend this one.  Plus, Circulon Canada was nice enough to provide a non-stick 7.5″ frying pan for one of my readers, so if you would like to try out this non-stick cookware, just enter the giveaway below.  And then make some of this amazing French toast with cinnamon apples and cinnamon syrup.  You won’t be disappointed!

Disclaimer: Circulon Canada provided me with product for review.  As always, all opinions are my own.

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Yield: serves 4

French Toast with Cinnamon Apples and Cinnamon Syrup

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This French toast with cinnamon apples and cinnamon syrup is so easy to make and is the perfect weekend brunch!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the cinnamon syrup:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup water

For the cinnamon apples:

• 3-4 apples, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
• 1 tablespoon butter

For the French toast:

• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 thick slices challah or French bread (it's best if it's a day or two old, not really fresh)

Instructions

1. For the cinnamon syrup, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small saucepan.
2. Whisk in the vanilla and water until smooth.
3. Bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat, and then simmer for 5-10 minutes until it is slightly thickened. Keep warm until ready to serve.
4. For the cinnamon apples, in a large non stick skillet, melt the butter and then stir in the chopped apples, cinnamon and nutmeg.
5. Saute over medium heat, stirring often, until the apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.
6. For the French toast, preheat a non stick griddle or skillet to medium heat (for the Circulon electric griddle that I used, I cooked it at heat level #4).
7. In a shallow dish, combine the eggs, milk, brown sugar and vanilla. For best results, use an immersion blender to combine it well, otherwise whisk everything together until smooth.
8. Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, turning it to coat both sides, and lay it on the griddle.
9. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes until browned, then flip to cook the other side.
10. If you are making a large amount, the cooked French toast can be kept warm in the oven (about 200 degrees F) until everything is cooked.
11. Serve warm French toast with cinnamon apples and cinnamon syrup.
    

Notes

I used homemade cinnamon challah(highly recommend this!) for this recipe, but it works just as well with French bread. You could add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the egg mixture if you are using French bread and would like cinnamon French toast. The recipe is best if the bread is slightly stale, 2-3 days old, not fresh baked.

For the apples, I used gala apples which are quite sweet. If you are using a more tart apple, you might want to add 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar to them, but I typically don’t add any sugar. The recipe makes quite a bit of cinnamon syrup, but it keeps in the fridge for several weeks.

Source: Cinnamon syrup recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Classic Stainless Saucepan
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  Silicone Balloon Whisk
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  Cuisinart Immersion Blender
• 
  Measuring Cups/Spoons

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

2 slices with 1/4 apples and syrup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 613Total Fat: 12.9gSaturated Fat: 5.1gCholesterol: 290mgSodium: 570mgCarbohydrates: 108.6gFiber: 6gSugar: 64.6gProtein: 19.4g

*Giveaway is open to residents of Canada aged 18+. Giveaway is open now until Friday, Sept 25, 2015 at midnight (MST). Winner will be randomly selected and notified within 24 hours of the contest closing. Winner must respond with mailing address within 48 hours of email notification or a new winner will be selected and must answer a skill-testing question. Prize will be delivered to a street address by Circulon Canada.   {Giveaway Closed}